Review - Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

All other things shall change, But She remains the same...

TITLE:    Midnight Never Come
AUTHOR:    Marie Brennan
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 379 pages
PUBLISHED:   Orbit, 2008
ISBN#:   978-0-316-02029-9
HOW I GOT IT:   Bought it

FROM GOODREADS:     "England flourishes under the hand of its Virgin Queen: Elizabeth, Gloriana, last and most powerful of the Tudor monarch. But a great light casts a great shadow. In hidden catacombs beneath London, a second Queen holds court: Invidiana, ruler of faerie England, and a dark mirror to the glory above."
 In the thirty years since Elizabeth ascended her throne, Fae and mortal politics have become inextricably entwined in secret alliances and ruthless betrayals whose existence is suspected by only a few. Two courtiers, both struggling for royal favor, are about to uncover the secrets that lie behind these two thrones, For only together will they he able to find the source of Invidiana's power - find it, and break it.

MY TAKE:    The cover of this book was the first thing that grabbed my attention.  The light embossing and various shades of blue is really gorgeous.  The second aspect that made me go ahead and buy it was the fact that it was a historical fiction about Queen Elizabeth with a paranormal spin.  I've been on a kick for this type of book lately.

I was not disappointed.  Marie Brennan created a dark and sinister mirror court to Elizabeth's London.  The Onyx Court is hidden beneath the city and mimics the comings and goings of the humans above.  Invidiana rules faerie England due to a secret pact she and Elizabeth made years before she took the throne.  Their courts and fates become intertwined over the years until one of Elizabeth's newest courtiers and one of Invidiana's disgraced ladies meet.  The two of them start to unravel the great mystery and with the aid of some delightful brownie sisters, pave the way for a new future for both courts.

The storyline was very well thought out.  On the surface you have the beloved monarch of England while below the city you have a court ruled by fear.  Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and mixing in paranormal with a bit of romance makes it a winner for me.  I enjoyed seeing names, places and events from Elizabeth's London.  The Fae court and its proceedings were seamlessly integrated into the real history.
 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

I'm really looking forward to reading the next books in the Onyx Court series:  In Ashes Lie and A Star Shall Fall with more planned for the future.

   

More lovely covers...

  

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, The Book Depository, Powell's Books, IndieBound

 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.